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Tiny Titans: The Big Story of Plankton
Discover the enormous world of some of the planet’s tiniest creatures—and the giant job they do in our ecosystem.
From zooplankton to phytoplankton, these small-scale superheroes are the foundation of the ocean’s food chain, keep our climate in check, generate up to fifty percent of the oxygen produced on the planet each year—and much more. Stunning microscopic photos and primary source research provide a seldom seen look at these dynamic drifters. “Science interpreter,” Mary Cerullo, dives into the wet world of plankton, and takes a deep look at the good and the bad, the tiny and even tinier. Readers will discover even the smallest actors can make a big difference. Glossary and informative sidebars included.
From zooplankton to phytoplankton, these small-scale superheroes are the foundation of the ocean’s food chain, keep our climate in check, generate up to fifty percent of the oxygen produced on the planet each year—and much more. Stunning microscopic photos and primary source research provide a seldom seen look at these dynamic drifters. “Science interpreter,” Mary Cerullo, dives into the wet world of plankton, and takes a deep look at the good and the bad, the tiny and even tinier. Readers will discover even the smallest actors can make a big difference. Glossary and informative sidebars included.
- GenresNature
56 pages, Hardcover
Published August 6, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 15, 2024
At first glance, I could see this was a jam-packed book filled to the gills with fabulous information. I immediately could see how teachers would run to order a copy of Tiny Titans for their library, and I was right about teachers wanting the book. When I opened the first pages and saw the illustrated endpapers, I wished I knew who created them because the illustrations are gorgeous.
Then I turned the page and read: "Wanderer. Nomad.Voyager. Do those words make you think of an adventurer on a journey of exploration, danger, and excitement? Now imagine that you are that world traveler crossing a vast ocean. Except, you might be microscopic in size. How would you survive in the hungry ocean, surrounded by organisms that want to eat you? How would you escape predators, capture or make your food, and live long enough to contribute to another generation of your kind? That's when I knew this would interest children, too.
I love how Mary sets the book up, telling the reader to "Scour the sunlit layer of the ocean, and you will meet many amazing characters that do all that and more. They also anchor the ocean food web, help slow climate change, and produce half the oxygen we breathe. They are plankton."
"Plankton are named from the Greek word for “wanderer” because they drift on the water at the mercy of the waves, tides, and currents. That is not to say these tiny
creatures only float along wherever the waves take them. Many can move on their own, using whiplike tails or winged feet, to stay near the surface to soak up the sun or to dive into dark waters to avoid hungry predators." This is followed by the names of different types of plankton with a brief description of each.
I turned the page, and at the top of the right page, it said, "Another name for plankton: SUPERHEROS." Now I knew Mary had grabbed the throats of all the boys and most of the girls.
Most plankton are tiny creatures nearly invisible to humans before microscopes were invented. Despite their small size, plankton display characteristics that could describe a cast of superheroes. Their powers include speed, endurance, adaptability, longevity, invisibility, and shape-shifting. And diversity. Dozens of extraordinary fictional characters populate comic books, movies, and television. Many thousands of real-life plankton species populate oceans, lakes, and even mudholes. Biologists can only guess how many kinds there are because new ones are discovered all the time.
The extraordinary powers of superheroes are used for good, at least most of the time. Get ready to meet some of the leading plankton superheroes and a few villains in the plankton universe.
On the left-hand side of the page is a circle of colorful plankton. There are more than 200 kinds of plankton in that picture, but there are many more. Mary tells us some are smaller than the period at the end of a sentence. Others are too big to fit on a page in this book. There are legions of tiny plankton superheroes. Readers will meet many of these characters in this book and learn why we call them Tiny Titans!
Children are hungry to learn how we can all help improve our world. Mary talks about how phytoplankton provide oxygen for humans and food for sea life, how Diatoms are solar-powered phytofactories, and how scientists study them since they generate 20 to 50 percent of the oxygen produced on the plant yearly. Mary says, just like some superheroes are immortal. Diatoms come close to that. Also, their shell resembles a gemstone opal, so they are often called "jewels of the sea." That should perk up the ears of a bunch of children.
Forty pages later, Mary ends the book with a two-page Glossary and a Bibliography. As I said in the beginning, this book is loaded with information. Mary has a page at the end of the book that talks about the little things we can do to make a difference. I did not know how many clothes are made from plastics, such as fleece jackets. They shed microplastic fibers when washed. I had no idea. So try to use natural fibers like cotton and wool instead. Or, as Mary says, simply don’t wash your fleece!
Then I turned the page and read: "Wanderer. Nomad.Voyager. Do those words make you think of an adventurer on a journey of exploration, danger, and excitement? Now imagine that you are that world traveler crossing a vast ocean. Except, you might be microscopic in size. How would you survive in the hungry ocean, surrounded by organisms that want to eat you? How would you escape predators, capture or make your food, and live long enough to contribute to another generation of your kind? That's when I knew this would interest children, too.
I love how Mary sets the book up, telling the reader to "Scour the sunlit layer of the ocean, and you will meet many amazing characters that do all that and more. They also anchor the ocean food web, help slow climate change, and produce half the oxygen we breathe. They are plankton."
"Plankton are named from the Greek word for “wanderer” because they drift on the water at the mercy of the waves, tides, and currents. That is not to say these tiny
creatures only float along wherever the waves take them. Many can move on their own, using whiplike tails or winged feet, to stay near the surface to soak up the sun or to dive into dark waters to avoid hungry predators." This is followed by the names of different types of plankton with a brief description of each.
I turned the page, and at the top of the right page, it said, "Another name for plankton: SUPERHEROS." Now I knew Mary had grabbed the throats of all the boys and most of the girls.
Most plankton are tiny creatures nearly invisible to humans before microscopes were invented. Despite their small size, plankton display characteristics that could describe a cast of superheroes. Their powers include speed, endurance, adaptability, longevity, invisibility, and shape-shifting. And diversity. Dozens of extraordinary fictional characters populate comic books, movies, and television. Many thousands of real-life plankton species populate oceans, lakes, and even mudholes. Biologists can only guess how many kinds there are because new ones are discovered all the time.
The extraordinary powers of superheroes are used for good, at least most of the time. Get ready to meet some of the leading plankton superheroes and a few villains in the plankton universe.
On the left-hand side of the page is a circle of colorful plankton. There are more than 200 kinds of plankton in that picture, but there are many more. Mary tells us some are smaller than the period at the end of a sentence. Others are too big to fit on a page in this book. There are legions of tiny plankton superheroes. Readers will meet many of these characters in this book and learn why we call them Tiny Titans!
Children are hungry to learn how we can all help improve our world. Mary talks about how phytoplankton provide oxygen for humans and food for sea life, how Diatoms are solar-powered phytofactories, and how scientists study them since they generate 20 to 50 percent of the oxygen produced on the plant yearly. Mary says, just like some superheroes are immortal. Diatoms come close to that. Also, their shell resembles a gemstone opal, so they are often called "jewels of the sea." That should perk up the ears of a bunch of children.
Forty pages later, Mary ends the book with a two-page Glossary and a Bibliography. As I said in the beginning, this book is loaded with information. Mary has a page at the end of the book that talks about the little things we can do to make a difference. I did not know how many clothes are made from plastics, such as fleece jackets. They shed microplastic fibers when washed. I had no idea. So try to use natural fibers like cotton and wool instead. Or, as Mary says, simply don’t wash your fleece!
November 16, 2024
WOW! Did you know that 50% of the oxygen you breathe comes from ocean phytoplankton (plant plankton)? This science book is an easy read, quick and clear, that covers a LOT of territory – phytoplankton, zooplankton (animals), nanoplankton, red tides, krill and more! Wonderful ressource with great succinct writing and jaw dropping incredible photography! You will be thrilled as you read while also developing a real understanding as to why we need to support ocean ecosystems. Recommend for 3rd - 8th grade. Stellar approach to teaching and engaging kids. Should be required reading for anyone who cares about our planet.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews